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Archive for June, 2012

Senior Allison Schultz made history Thursday by winning the Ohio State Golf Association’s Women’s Amateur Championship. The tournament was played at Riviera Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.

Senior Allison Schultz is the first Rocket to win the Ohio State Golf Association's Women's Amateur Championship.

Schultz is the first University of Toledo women’s golfer to win the event and to appear in the championship match. She captured the title by defeating Wisconsin sophomore Jesse Jordan, 3 & 1, in the championship Thursday afternoon after posting a 2 & 1 triumph over Santa Clara’s Brooke Stephens that morning.

“I played within my game today and made shots when I had to,” Schultz said. “I know the names on the Ohio Amateur trophy are the best to ever play the game of golf from the state of Ohio. Now my name is on there, and it’s an honor to be among them. This is the best way to start my last year of college golf, and I am so excited to start our season in the fall.”

“Alli’s victory is the best of any golfers that I’ve coached has had in the summer, and all I can say is ‘Wow,’” Toledo Head Coach Nicole Hollingsworth said. “I am so proud of Alli. To know that this prestigious tournament dates back to 1920 and has many famous champions like Peggy Kirk Bell [one of the charter members of the LPGA] that were outstanding amateur golfers is an outstanding accomplishment. Winning a tournament like this is not an easy feat. She did it, and I look for outstanding things from her this year as a senior. She has come so far, and it’s exciting to see someone gain that much confidence and know they can go out and win a tournament of this magnitude is very exciting.”

Schultz opened match play as the No. 6 seed after carding a three-over par 75 in the qualifying round. The Cincinnati native helped the Rockets to a third-place finish at this year’s Mid-American Conference Championship by posting a career-best 10th-place finish.

The University of Toledo has 12 Woodrow Wilson Ohio Teaching Fellows who began taking classes last month to become math and science teachers for high-need schools in the state.

Each of the Fellows will receive a $30,000 stipend to complete a special intensive master’s program; they should be ready to teach students in fall 2013.

The program recruits accomplished career changers and outstanding recent college graduates in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) fields who will prepare for math and science teaching positions in Ohio’s urban and rural schools.

“Education is key to improving the economy in Ohio. We have jobs available in Ohio, many of them in the STEMM fields. We need students trained to fill those jobs,” said Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Jim Petro. “The universities participating in this program realize that invigorating our teacher education programs will help invigorate the way we educate our children in STEMM subject areas.”

UT, the University of Dayton and Ohio University join John Carroll University, Ohio State University, the University of Akron and the University of Cincinnati as participants in the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship program.

After a year of classroom-based preparation, Fellows commit to teach for at least three years in a high-need Ohio school, with ongoing support and mentoring.

“The University System of Ohio eagerly anticipates the difference these new educators will make in focusing more Ohio children on STEMM degree pathways and, ultimately, careers in these vibrant job sectors,” Petro said.

After a yearlong application and selection process, Fellows chosen and studying at UT are:

• Amerah Abed, chemistry technologist who worked at a major private-sector research and development organization;

• Allison Bayes, 2012 UT alumna who received a bachelor of science degree in biology;

• Patrice Brock, college research and teaching assistant, and substitute teacher;

• Elizabeth Brockway, college research and teaching assistant, and substitute teacher;

Members of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2415, the collective bargaining unit representing nearly 2,000 University of Toledo employees on Health Science Campus, voted June 27 to approve a one-year contract extension.

The UT Board of Trustees previously had approved the extension at its June 18 meeting.

“The reason our hospital is recognized as the best in the region is due to the commitment of our employees to ensuring patients receive university-quality care,” said Chuck Lehnert, vice president of administration. “I want to thank all AFSCME members for their leadership and their daily efforts to make UT an incredible organization.”

Randy Desposito, president of AFSCME Local 2415, said the agreement amounted to a win-win situation.

“Our membership spoke,” Desposito said of the vote in favor of the extension. “Everyone knows these are tough economic times, and we worked hard to reach an agreement that protected our membership. We look forward to working with the University as we strive to keep our hospital No. 1 in our community and in the region.”

The extension maintains the terms of the final year of AFSCME’s current contract that expires June 30, 2012, and extends those terms to June 30, 2013.

Dr. Kristopher Brickman will bring his more than 25 years experience in emergency medicine and trauma care to the Chief of Staff Office as he focuses on improving efficiency and productivity at The University of Toledo Medical Center.

Brickman

Brickman, who will begin his appointment as the University’s 24th chief of staff July 1, has led the UTMC Department of Emergency Medicine since he was appointed its medical director at the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital in 1991.

He also serves as associate professor and chair of emergency medicine, director of the Office of Global Health and president of UT Physicians.

“I look forward to engaging the medical staff and hospital to assess our processes and to find ways to be more productive and efficient,” Brickman said. “There are a great number of opportunities for collaboration not only between departments, but between individual physicians as well. I’d like to make a concerted effort to promote collaboration.”

Brickman also said improved communication will be a focus of his two-year term. Better communication between health-care providers is essential, but most important is communication with patients and their families, he said.

He commended the improvements UTMC has made in recent years to become more focused on patients and to improve customer service at the hospital, and said he would like to build on that momentum.

“It’s important to continue our efforts to make this an institution people want to come to,” he said.

Brickman received his medical degree from the Wright State University School of Medicine and a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Ohio State University.

While at Ohio State, he was a member of the OSU wrestling team and has continued his sports interests, serving as an assistant wrestling coach at St. John’s High School and team physician and medical adviser for all of its sports programs. In 2006, he received the Ohio Outstanding Team Physician Award from the Ohio State Medical Board.

Brickman has participated in 10 Medical Missions to Haiti as a volunteer physician, and also supports a variety of community programs such as Make-A-Wish Foundation and United Way.

A University of Toledo faculty member is being recognized for his extensive research into the spread of invasive species.

Bossenbroek

Dr. Jonathan Bossenbroek, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences, co-authored a paper, “Stepping Stones for Biological Invasion: A Bioeconomic Model of Transferable Risk,” that recently was recognized by the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economics as the best paper published in the journal Environmental and Resource Economics for 2011.

“This paper is an interdisciplinary paper that looks at the economics of the spread of zebra mussels from recreational boaters. It takes a look at how different policies for controlling the mussels would have an economic impact,” Bossenbroek said. “This paper is extremely exciting because it’s so hard to get interdisciplinary papers published.”

Bossenbroek and co-authors Dr. Travis Warziniack with the U.S. Forest Service, Dr. David Finnoff and Dr. Jason F. Shogren with the University of Wyoming, and Dr. David Lodge of the University of Notre Dame will be honored Saturday, June 30, at the 19th Annual Conference of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists in Prague, Czech Republic.

“Dr. Bossenbroek’s high-quality research has averaged $350,000 a year as a principle investigator and a co-principle investigator on many grants. His papers are in top journals for his discipline and are well-cited,” said Dr. Timothy Fisher, professor and chair of the Department of Environmental Sciences. “He has developed a national and international reputation for outstanding work on the spread of invasive species. His work reflects very positively on UT and on our department.”

Bossenbroek also is well-known for his work with students of all levels in environmental sciences.

“He is able to fund their research activities, mentor them through modeling, help with work in the laboratory and in the field, take them to conferences, and see their results published,” Fisher said. “Dr. Bossenbroek is not only a great researcher, but a wonderful teacher as well.”

Gloriana has been on the rise for the past four years since their debut single, “Wild at Heart.” With the recent single, “Kissed You Goodnight,” which was premiered on the television show, “The Bachelorette,” Mike Gossin, Rachel Reinert and Tom Gossin have reached No. 9 on the Billboard Country Singles Chart.

“Music fans will be in for a real treat when Gloriana takes the stage at the third annual Music Fest,” said Lawrence J. Burns, UT vice president for external affairs. “They are riding a wave of popularity and that will only grow when they release a brand new album, A Thousand Miles Left Behind, on July 31.

“Music Fest is becoming bigger and bigger,” Burns added, “and the addition of Gloriana will make this year’s festival one of the largest yet.”

Gloriana will perform along with several other artists from 3 p.m. until midnight in the grassy area south of the Memorial Field House, adjacent to Centennial Mall.

One lucky local band will open the event after being selected through a Facebook-based contest. Fans can vote for that group and participate in the Local Band Challenge by visiting www.facebook.com/utmusicfest between July 1-July 14.

The complete band line up for Music Fest 2012 will be unveiled when the contest winner is announced Monday, July 16.

For more information about Music Fest 2012, contact Amelia Acuna in the Office of University Communications at 419.530.5874 or Amelia.Acuna@utoledo.edo.

University of Toledo Vice President and Athletic Director Mike O’Brien yesterday announced the hiring of former Indiana assistant Jamie Broce as the Rockets’ head men’s golf coach.

Broce

Broce replaces Jamie Mauntler, who resigned in May after serving for nine years at the helm.

Broce, who played golf at Ball State, was a touring professional for nine years before coaching at Indiana under Head Coach Mike Mayer for the past four seasons.

“I’m very excited to become the head coach of the Rockets,” Broce said. “Toledo has such a great golfing heritage, both at UT and in the community. When I was in school, Toledo had a terrific program, one of the best in the MAC. I’m looking forward to working with the players who are there now and developing the program in the years to come. There is a great opportunity for success at UT, and I can’t wait to get started.”

“We are very fortunate to have Jamie join our staff,” O’Brien said. “Jamie has an impressive golf background, both as a player and as a teacher of the game. His experience at Indiana and as a private instructor will greatly benefit our men’s golf program. We look forward to welcoming Jamie into the Rocket family.”

In Broce’s four seasons at Indiana, the Hoosiers compiled an impressive track record. The past season, they finished in second place at the Big Ten Championships and advanced to the NCAA Regionals, where they finished in ninth place. The squad also received special academic recognition from NCAA for finishing in the top 10 percent in the country in Academic Progress Rate.

In 2011, Indiana picked up four tournament titles, as well as nine finishes in the top five. The Hoosiers collected team titles at the Renaissance Intercollegiate and the Adidas Hoosier Invitational in 2010, as well as three other top-five team finishes.
During his first season, the Hoosiers cracked the national top-10 rankings for much of the year, ascending as high as No. 4 in the country. The Hoosiers also won two team titles that season, winning the inaugural Big Ten Match Play Championship and Adidas Hoosier Invitational, an event IU won by a whopping 27 strokes over the second place team.

Broce garnered three top-four finishes while playing on the Nationwide Tour from 2005 to 2007. He also has professional golf experience on the NGA Hooters Tour (2002-04, 2008). In 2000, Broce qualified and played in the PGA Greater Milwaukee Open.

He played collegiate golf at Ball State, earning both the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year and Sportsman of the Year Awards as a senior in 1999. Additional accolades for Broce include Academic All-America (1998-99), NCAA All-America Third Team (1999) and the Ben Hogan Award in 1998 (awarded to the nation’s top golf scholar-athlete). He captained the Cardinal golf team for three years en route to winning six college tournaments.

A co-founder of the Blair/Broce Junior Golf Academy in LaPorte, Ind., Broce has several years of golf instruction experience. He has served as an instructor at golf clinics hosted by the Nationwide and NGA Hooters Tours, as well as private golf lessons.

Broce and his wife, Darci, have a daughter, Peyton (12), and a son, Preston (9).

Students taking a class through The University of Toledo American Language Institute have created a short documentary, “American Identity: Made in the U.S.A.,” which will be screened Thursday June 28, at noon in Student Union Room 3020.

American pop culture is the topic of the Advanced Speaking and Listening class taught by Sherris Anne Schwind, UT English as a second language specialist.

“We began our topic exploration by examining identity via Muhammad Ali — name change, religious conversion, media manipulation, war protest, etc. — and moved on to examine elements of the American dream, the great recession, and the distortion/representation of those via popular American media,” Schwind said.

To practice their English, the students traversed campus to survey UT students, faculty, staff and alumni about how they defined American identity and how the economy affects American identity.

It was a challenging four-week process for the class.

“This was our first experience with making a documentary, but we had help from students and professors who were experienced in the whole process,” said Mohammad AlOqab, undergraduate student. “I am very proud of the outcome and excited to do it again.”

Watch a trailer for the film.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8afP88z5Ij0&feature=share

The American Language Institute is an intensive English program that offers classes to students from all over the world and businesses.

Approximately 100 trees on the bank of the Ottawa River near the Law Center on Main Campus are being cut down as work continues on the waterway’s restoration.

Trees on the north bank of the Ottawa River by the Law Center parking lot are being cleared so that a cut bank can be created as part of the waterway’s restoration.

“The trees range in size from six inch in diameter to some larger cottonwoods three feet in diameter,” said Dr. Patrick Lawrence, professor and chair of the Department of Geography and Planning, and chair of the President’s Commission on the River. “Some of these trees are dead or dying, and there are some ash trees that will be coming down.”

Aaron Tree and Lawn of Toledo will undertake the clearing project.

“Initial design work on the river restoration determined that we need to create a cut bank area that will allow for more water storage during higher river levels,” Lawrence said. “We didn’t anticipate this when the project started, but it’s a requirement for a federal permit.

“Removing these trees is a necessity, not a choice,” he emphasized. “This area adjacent to the Law Center parking lot is the only site requiring extensive tree removal for the river restoration project. And replanting — from grasses to small trees and shrubs — is part of the overall plan.”

A $235,000 grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and a $111,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are funding the Ottawa River restoration.

Once the trees are cleared, a section will be dug out to create the cut bank and widen the land on the north side of the river at that site.

Lawrence explained that phase two of the restoration calls for adding in-stream elements with natural materials — rock, tree trunks, wood — to create changes in water flow, and that has the potential to affect the 100-year flood level in the river.

“When you do work like that in a river, you can’t raise the water level more than it would rise naturally,” he said. “We haven’t had an event like that for decades, but you have to design for it just in case.”

The cut bank will have long-term benefits.

“The area will be more open and accessible to people. It’ll be a great opportunity to have an overlook to the river on the north bank by the Law Center and maybe put in a trail and benches,” Lawrence said. “There’s no funding for those now in this project, but we are optimistic for the future to search for grants and other means.”

Phase two of the restoration will begin in August 2013 when the in-stream elements are added to create diversity in the river. Interpretative signage will be placed along the waterway to explain the work to the campus community and visitors.

This demonstration and education project will mean more fish and wildlife.

“We have more than 40 fish species in the river. This summer we’ve also been noting muskrats, deer, turtles, frogs, blue heron, mallard ducks and Canada geese,” Lawrence said. “This is a living river, a natural corridor that we’re lucky to have on our campus.

“The Ottawa River has its issues and challenges, but it has a lot of potential if we can improve the aquatic and forest habitat along the 3,700 feet through Main Campus.”

University of Toledo Vice President and Athletic Director Mike O’Brien was named the Under Armour Northeast Region Athletics Director of the Year for 2011-12 by the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

O’Brien will be recognized during the association’s 47th Annual Convention at the Hilton Anatole Hotel Wednesday, June 27, at the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon in Dallas.

Mike O'Brien is shown here after announcing Tricia Cullop as UT's new head women's basketball coach in April 2008. She is one of the key hires made during his leaderhship.

“I would like to thank the NACDA awards committee for honoring me with this prestigious award,” O’Brien said. “I am truly humbled by this honor, as I acknowledge that something like this happens due to the efforts of a terrific staff, coaches and student-athletes. I see this as less of an individual honor for me, but rather a recognition of the accomplishments of our entire athletics program at UT.”

According to the NACDA website, criteria for the honor include service as an athletics director for a minimum of five academic years; demonstration of commitment to higher education and student-athletes; continuous teamwork, loyalty and excellence; and the ability to inspire individuals or groups to high levels of accomplishments.

Now in his 11th year at UT, O’Brien presided over one of the finest seasons in UT history. A few highlights from this past year include:

• 9-4 record in football that included a 42-41 victory over Air Force in the Military Bowl;

• MAC West co-championship for the women’s basketball team, which advanced to the Elite Eight of the WNIT;

• First-ever MAC West Division title for the baseball team;

• Jacoby Trophy as the top women’s athletic program in the Mid-American Conference, the first time in the 30-year history of the trophy that UT took first place; and

• Record grade point average of 3.266 in spring semester for UT student-athletes, shattering the previous high mark of 3.167 set in fall 2011.

O’Brien has been an instrumental force in initiating one of the most ambitious construction schedules in school history. No fewer than five major projects have been completed during his reign; these include the renovation of Savage Arena and construction of the Fetterman Training Center.

O’Brien, who has the second-longest tenure among Mid-American Conference athletic directors, also has guided the Rockets into position as one of the strongest programs in the conference. The Rockets have won or shared 22 league titles in eight different sports under his watch. In the classroom, UT has produced overall department grade point averages of above a 3.1 in each of the past seven semesters. Among O’Brien’s other accomplishments are adding Ohio State, Miami (Fla.), Colorado, Purdue, Arizona, Missouri, Navy, Fresno State, Boise State, Wyoming and Cincinnati to the home football schedule; working with the Inverness Club to bring the 2009 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships to Toledo; and securing a multi-year deal with Learfield Sports to increase UT’s advertising revenue.

He has served as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Issues Committee and chaired the MAC Athletic Director’s Committee. He is also the conference’s athletic director representative to the Bowl Championship Series.

Prior to his appointment at UT, O’Brien had 15 years of experience in athletics administration at four universities: Kansas State (associate athletic director 1997-2001), Lamar (athletic director 1993-1997), Pittsburgh (director of development 1989-1993) and Ball State (marketing and development 1986-1989).

A native of Iowa City, Iowa, O’Brien earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Missouri Valley College in 1975, and has master’s degrees in education from Wisconsin-River Falls in 1982 and in sports management from Western Illinois in 1986.

Prior to his administrative career, O’Brien was an assistant basketball coach at three different schools from 1982 to 1986.